Catamenial appliance



Aug. 3, 1937. 1.. w. CHALMERS I CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Filed July 11, 1935 Patented Aug. 3

UNITED. STATES PATEIQIT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to'sanitary catamenial appliances, and has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and highly efll'cient device designed to fit snugly within the vulvo-uterine canal, between the uterus and thev vulva, and to embrace the membrane so effectively as to ing by seepage of menstrual or other vaginal fluids into the vulva region of the vagina, durm ing normal or strenuous physical activities of the user, without causing uncomfortableness or consciousness of its presence. r

Another object of the invention is to construct the device in a. manner to be self-supporting, thereby obviating the necessity for providlngany means external of the vagina for supporting the device in its most effective position and thereby permitting thin, light, close-fitting clothing to be worn during the menstrual periods without betrayal such as takes place with the use of the tell-tale straps, belts, pins and buckles commonly employed for supporting catamenial appliances in place and which form ridges and bulges on the otherwise smooth rounded contours of the feminine figure and show on or through thin delicate clothing. I

The construction, the mode of application and the manner of functioning of the device will be fully disclc d hereinafter, reference being had a to the acco panying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a vertical longitudinal section of the lower portion of a human feminine torso with the device in place;

- Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the.

preferred form of the device;

' Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form; and Fig.4isaplanview. M The device is composed preferably of pliable vulcanized rubber of suflicient firmness which, 40 while permitting of Jts being folded about or. parl'ateral dimensions for inserting into the vagina, will; upon its release after being placed in the desired position within the vagina, cause it to 1 unfold into its full cross-sectional form, to en- M device to change from its normal cross-secti nal fluid passing down through the vulva-uterine v l el to its normal longitudinal axis to reduce its Wm be trapped by th rim 2 against pascontour without collapsing to adapt itself to such changes in the cross-sectional contour of the vagina as normally take place in and during physical activities of the person, whereby the device is comfortable and causes no pronounced conscious- ,5

ness of its presence.

preclude all possibilities of staining delicate cloth- As shown in Fig. 2, the device comprises a I lower conical, parabolic or acorn-shaped receptacle I, which as noted above is composed of firm but pliable rubber, an upper circumventing trap 10 inherently assumes its normal cross-sectional 20 v contour and causes the diiatin rim 2 to press gently but firmly against the m mbrane which causes the membrane to be distended at the plane of the rim 2. The membrane, due to its inherent tendency to contract, follows the contour of the 35 groove 4 and passes around the lower annular rib 3 into contact with the upper end of the receptacle adjacentcthe lower side of the rib 3, thus the device is snugly embraced by the .wall

- of the vagina and due to the ribs 2 and 3 and the 30 intervening groove 4 there V-is an action similar to a snubbing actionwhi'ch stubbornly resists.

any tendency of the device to move -'in either dii rection longitudinally of the vulva-uterine canal.

When in the active position notedabove, the" 35 inner wall 5 of the receptacle I, adjacent the rim 2, is approximately aligned with the inner wall a: of the vagina, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby any sage into the lower or vulva region of the vagina and directedby a beveled or receding edge 6 at the inner upper end of the receptacle i into said receptacle.

As shown in FlgsQl and 2, the wall of :the re- 45 ceptacle I, atand adjacent the vertex 'i of the cone or. otherwise shaped receptacle, is.relativ ely thicker,- as shown at 8, than that portion of the 1 wall adjacent the upper or rimmed end of the receptacle, as sharp at 9. The thinning of the upper\wall '8; Inc tates the folding of the upper or larger diam'etered portion ofthe device for insetting purposes and the thicker lower wall portion 8 of smaller diameter andheavier weight,

sertion and due to its heavier weight and inverted dome-shape supplies the initial inherent energy for and starts the opening up of the device to its full cross-sectional form after release,

said energy following up into and throughout the 4 thinner upper wall with more or less of a snap action which sets the dilating ribs 2 and 3 in the membrane and creates the suction action in the annular groove 4 which together secure the device in position without the aid of external devices.

The device fits and embraces the vaginal membrane so closely and firmly that if an effort is made to pull the device out of the vagina forcibly a suction or vacuum action is created in the vulvo-uterine canal above the device and in order to relieve this action when it is desired to remove .the device, the upper wall 9, adjacent the lower edge of the lower annulus 3, is provided with a series of minute openings I which normally are closed by the-adherence of the vaginal membrane to the outer surface of the receptacle but which when tension is applied to the vertex I of the receptacle are drawn away from the membrane by a slight contraction of the thinner upper wall 9 due to the longitudinal tension applied to the lower end of the receptacle while the upper end is held firmly by the distending rib 2.

In order to remove the device and to provide a substantial gripping surface for the fingers, the lower end of the receptacle is provided with a depending tab H which preferably is in the form of a small diametered tube which will permit of its being readily collapsed laterally to provide a broader gripping surface, by pressure exerted by and between, for example, the end of the thumb and theforefinger; and in order to provide a most efiicient gripping surface the outer surface of the tubular tab H is preferably roughened as by knurling and/or by providing a small rib or series of parallel annular ribs on the tab as shown at l2.

In order to increase the longitudinal stability of the device for inserting purposes, the inner surface 5 of the receptacle I may be provided with one or more longitudinally extending ribs l3 extending preferably from ,the annular shoulder 14, which forms the line of deviation from the thicker lower wall 8 to the thinner upper wall 9, to substantiallythe plane of the upper dilating rib 2.

In order to increase thesnubbing action between the dilating rib 2 and the vaginal wall the lower edge l5 of the annulus 2 may be made relatively sharp, i. c. with a fillet of very small radius and the outer surface ii of the annulus 2 may be of a frusto-conical nature while the surface [1 of the groove 4 recedes at a relatively steep angle from the edge ii of the annulus, whereby the membrane will bend sharply about the edge :5 and provide a very pronounced snubbing acion.

In order to accentuate the snap action of the thinner wall 9 of the cup and to insure against collapse of said wall between the lowermost of the external ribs 3 adjacent the top or open end of the cup and the upper edge I of the thicker wall 8 adjacent the lower or closed end of the cup the thinner wall 9' may be.provided with an internal annular rib l8 spaced above the upper edge H of the thicker wall 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which case the height of the thickened wall 8 may be lowered as shown in said illustra- 75 tion.- Y

functions to add longitudinal stability during in-.

I claim:

1. Acatamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup, a resilient annular rib at the open end thereof' and formed integral therewith, and a second annular rib of lesser diameter than the first said rib also integral with the cup and providing an annular depression therebetween as and for the purpose described.

2. A catamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup, a resilient annular rib at the open end thereof and formed integral therewith and provided with a sharply filleted outer edge, and a second annular rib of lesser diameter thanthe first said I rib also integral with the cup and providing an annular depression therebetween as and for the purpose described.

3. A catamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup including a wall adjacent the open end thereof of relatively thin pliable construction of substantially uniform thickness throughout, a wall adjacent the closed end of a relatively heavier pliable construction of substantially uniform thickness throughout, and a dilating annular rib integral with and surrounding the thinner wall adjacent the open end of the cup, as and for the purpose described. I

4. 'A catamenial appliance comprising afiexible cup including a wall adjacent the open end thereof of relatively thin pliable construction, a wall adjacent the closed end of a relatively heavier pliable construction, a resilient dilating annular rib integralwith and surrounding the thinner wall adjacent the open end of the cup, and a second resilient annular rib on and integral with the thinner wall in spaced relation to the' first said rib with an intervening annular-depression therebetween as and for the purpose described.

5. A catamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup including a wall adjacent the open end thereof of relatively thin pliable construction, a wall adjacent the closed end of a relatively heavier pliable construction, a dilating annular rib surrounding the thinner wall adjacent the open end of the cup, a second annular rib on the thinner wall in spaced relation to the first said rib with an intervening annular depression therebetween, and an internal rib on the thinner wall above and in spaced relation to the upper edge of the heavier wall at the lower end of the cup as and for the purpose described.

6. A catamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup including a wall adjacent the open end thereof of relatively thin pliable construction, a wall adjacent the closed end of a relatively heavier pliable construction, a dilating annular rib surrounding the thinner wall adjacent the open end of the cup, and angularly spaced ribs extending longitudinally of the cup along said thinner wall as and for the purpose described '7. A catamenial appliance comprising a fiexlble cup including a wall adjacent the open end thereof of relatively. thin pliable construction, a wall adjacent the closed end of a relatively heavier pliable construction, a dilating annular rib surrounding the thinner wall adjacent the open end of -the cup, a second annular rib on the thinner wall in spaced relation to the first said rib with an intervening annular depression therebetween, and angularly spaced ribs extending longitudinally of the cup along said thinner wall as and for the purpose described.

8. A catamenial appliance comprising a flexible cup of longitudinally tapering construction with a relatively thin wall in the upper portion a tubular appendage depending from and sealed against communicationwith the interior 0! the cup at the closed smaller end of the cup, said cup being provided with a series of relief openings adjacent the lower side of the lower rib. 5

as and for the purpose described.

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